Forever And Always
by Lily Shade
Summary: Claire is married to one Leon S. Kennedy. Her brother Chris is the new commander of the S.T.A.R.S unit, and President Graham has chosen not to sterilize Raccoon City. Everything seems to be coming back to order in their lives, but looks can be deceiving..


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Has it really been this long? Six years have gone by? Leon has moved through the ranks so fast, and Chris is now in charge of the S.T.A.R.S. and I'm now a cop… I still can't get a grip on the fact that I'm a cop… specifically a S.T.AR.S. They'd all be proud of me… I survived in September, found Chris on that damned island, and got home okay…but I had to give up Leon. I fell in love with him. It was all a nightmare. One that I hoped I could forget about, but I can't._

_Sherry. According to Annette, Sherry's mother, William's sister was to take her if anything happened to both of them. I tracked her aunt down, and told her what had happened._

"Ms. Birkin? My name is Claire. Claire Redfield. I knew your brother, and his wife. I unfortunately have to tell you that they are both dead. Sherry is still okay, but in your brother's will, he stated that Sherry was to come live with you if anything happened to both him, and Annette."

"You mean to tell me that that little good for nothing rat didn't die with them? I knew this was too good to be true. You must be working for the higher ups in Umbrella, probably trying to steal my brother's legacy."

"Ms. Birkin, I can assure you that I'm not. Sherry needs somewhere to live… by legal orders that place is with you. Where else are you going to tell a 12-year-old little girl to go? You are her only family; she's got nowhere else to go. Or are you just going to put her in foster care because you don't want to take on the responsibility of a child?"

"Ms. Redfield, his daughter is an inconvenience, but I never said that I wouldn't take her."

I heard a faint knock on my bedroom door, which is where I was using the phone. I didn't want Sherry to have to hear me arguing with her remaining family, over her. The door opened, and Sherry walked in. She was wearing my red vest, the one that I had given her 3 days ago. She had been through so much, and just being near me seemed to comfort her.

"Ms. Birkin, you can reach me at this number whenever you need to. I will call you again you can count on that. We will need to be discussing if you want a lawyer or not. I don't plan on letting you have her, if this is the kind of emotion that you are showing now, through the phone."

With that, I laid my cell phone down, and flipped it closed. I looked up at Sherry, to see her looking at me, and her eyes filled with that sparkly brilliance that they fill with when she completely understands the situation that is going on around her.

"Claire? Is everything okay? You seem sad." She walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. She drew her legs up to her chest, and looked almost like a monkey sitting there staring at me. "That was my aunt wasn't it? She's mean, huh?"

"Yeah, sweetie. That was your aunt. I'm planning on going to Family Court next week, and filing for an immediate change in custodial rights. That means that I am going to try and get the Judge to let me be your guardian, not your aunt."

"Claire?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"You've been more of a mom to me than my mom ever was. Thank you."

"You're welcome"

* * *

_ Present Day, 2004_

Claire sat up in her office to realize that she had fallen asleep, and had been for the last hour.

"Yo, sis. You ok? You were asleep. Sure you're feeling okay? You aren't dreaming about your little lover boy again are you?" The voice came from the desk in the front of the S.T.AR.S. office. That desk was the commander of the S.T.A.R.S.'s desk. My brother, Chris, currently held that job.

"I'm fine. Just tired is all. Too much paperwork, and not enough sleep. Any word from Leon yet?"

"Nope. Nada. Claire if he's back, he's avoiding you. Us. Everyone. Not very good for a rookie S.TA.R.S. member to not show up to duty for two weeks. Maybe he's dead. I don't know. But if Jill hears anything, I'm sure she will let you know."

"Chris… Thanks. I appreciate it. Thanks for everything. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't have found you."

"No prob. It's all good. I'm gonna go talk with Jill for a little bit. Make sure everything is okay, and see what some of the other new recruits are up to. Being in charge of all you guys sure is tough work. I don't know how Wesker did it. That guy sure was fucked up, huh? Augmented by Umbrella, running the Austrian Umbrella Corporation. Trying to kill all of us S.TA.R.S. Kinda sucks huh?"

My brother turned and left after saying that. I just stared at my cell phone. I was silently praying that Leon would call me. He had to be okay. He was now a U.S. Secret Service Agent, and had just gotten back from rescuing President Graham's daughter, Ashley. He'd completed his mission successfully, and was now back, but no one including Graham had heard from him yet. I sighed and looked at my left hand. The silver, and diamond band on my ring finger was from him. We had gotten married two years after the September massacre of the R.P.D. in 1998.

"Leon… Please be okay. Please be okay. Come home. I need you here. I miss you, and I love you."

I tried to say that as quietly as I could, but it still came out as an audible whisper. There was something else in the office with me.

"It's 11:30 at night. Where's my damn radio…?" I opened the drawers of my desk searching for the radio that I never carried with me, and starting now, that was going to change. I found it in the same drawer I keep my Magnum. I clicked it on, and to the frequency of the other radios. "Chris. Jill. Rebecca. All On duty S.T.A.R.S. Members report with current locations. Please."

"Redfield, Team Leader in Comm. room with Valentine."

"Chambers, Team Medic, In the Med. Room Library. Over."

"Redfield, to Claire. Is everything okay?"

"Copy. There is something in the office with me. I swear to god, Chris."

I looked down at the radio in my hand, and damn near dropped it when I saw how bad my hands were shaking. The lights in the office were out, and the only light was coming from my computer, and the lamp on my desk. The picture of Leon with his arms around me, on our honeymoon, in Honolulu was lit up fairly well. In the glass, I could see the reflection of someone. I was standing too far away to see details, but I could tell the person was male, about 6'2, and well built. I reached down for my Magnum, and cocked it, and spun around point the gun directly at Leon.

"Claire. It's nice to see you too, I just got out of debriefing, and left to see you."

"Leon? You're… you're here… you're back. Thank god. We haven't had any contact from Hunnigan on your current location, and we were waiting to hear from her before assuming anything. Is everything okay? Do you need Rebecca? You need to talk to Chri-"

Leon leaned in closer to Claire, and wrapped his arms around her waist, then using his left hand, slowly pulled her Magnum from her grip, and lowered it to her desk. He then softly kissed her, and brushed the few strands of escapee hair away from her face.

"Claire. I'm fine. I'm hungry, damn tired, and really lonely, but fine. Now shush for a minute, take a breath, and relax. I'm here now, and that's all that matters right? I know that you have questions, and I will be more than willing to answer all of them, but I just need to see you, and then get something to eat. Speaking of food, do you have any?"

I looked at him, and walked away from him, grabbed my radio, flicked it on, and contacted the others.

"Claire to all on duty S.T.A.R.S members. We have confirmation that Leon is alive, and well. I repeat. Confirmation that Leon is alive and well. All S.T.A.R.S. members please report to the meeting room in…" I looked at Leon, and glanced at my watch… 1 hour."

"Redfield to Claire. Copy that. All members will be there for the meeting. Do we need anything? Valentine has not received communication from Hunnigan. What information do you have Claire?"

"Claire to Redfield. Let's just put it this way: I am looking him in the face. Over and out."

I walked back towards Leon, and took his hand in mine, and then placed my Magnum in its holster. After the September massacre, it is now procedure for a cop on duty, especially S.T.A.R.S. members to carry their firearm with them at all times. I placed my radio in its clip on my belt, and walked out of the office, towards the break room. Leon was following me, and his footsteps were barely audible. Something they had taught him in his numerous days of training. When we reached the break room, I fished my key ring out of my pocket, and unlocked the door, stepped inside, and stood out of the way so Leon could come in. I shut the door, and then locked it behind them, and walked over to the couch, flopped down on it, and looked at Leon.

"Scott, whatever is in here, you can eat. The only people who use this room, are the S.T.A.R.S. they aren't gonna mind if you eat their food. Believe me. Most of the stuff in there is either Chris's, Jill's, or mine. So eat whatever you find edible in there." She stood up, and walked over to the lockers, and operated the combination on her locker with her right hand, while rubbing her shoulders with her left. She opened the door, and leaned against it. She grabbed a light amber pill bottle from its place on the shelf in her locker, opened the cap, and popped four of the white, and blue pills into her mouth, chewing them, then swallowing, and taking a drink from the bottle of water in her locker as well. She looked into the mirror on locker door, and barely whispered to herself "Claire… What's happening to you? You're stressed too badly. But your husband is back, and everything is great now. Just relax you'll be okay."

"Claire, baby, what did you just take? Honey, is everything okay with you? You need to sit down, and I'll rub your shoulders for you. C'mon. Sit. You'll feel better."

She turned around, and Leon was standing behind her. She looked at him, and he realized she was crying softly. He walked over to her, and placed his left hand on her cheek, and kissed her gently.

"Claire, what's wrong? Talk to me."

"We… I thought you were dead. You've been back for two weeks, and you haven't contacted us at all. I thought something had happened to you, or that you had been shipped out… again. I thought I had lost you for good, and then you came back, and you're here, and I'm crying, scared, and shaking."

He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close to him. He kissed the top of her head, and laid her head on his right shoulder, and laid his head against hers, and spoke to her softly.

"I'm never leaving you again. The reason why I haven't contacted you was because I was resigning from the Force. I couldn't stand to be away from you guys anymore. It was driving me nuts. I can't stand to lose you Claire, and I'm not going to. I'm never leaving here unless I am with you, okay? I married you for a reason. I love you, and I can't take not being with you any longer. You don't have to be scared. Yeah, there is plenty to worry about, but I'm here now, and never leaving. I promise."

"Leon. I love you. Just hold me. My shift has been over for the last three hours, but I was waiting to hear if you had contacted us or not. I couldn't force myself to leave, when I knew that you were still… out _there_. I knew that if you needed help, I would come, granted Chris would give me clearance. I took some Vicoden. The pills… They were Vicoden. For the pain." She stopped and caught her breath, and realized what she had just said. He didn't know about any of it. He was gone when the attack had happened. There was a lot of catching up to be done. "Erm… Right, I forgot that you weren't here when the attack happened. Long story short, Umbrella sent an expeditionary force here to the station, Graham receded his sterilization plans, and the force struck like lightening. We… The S.T.A.R.S. were caught in the front lines of the battle." She sighed, and rubbed her shoulders, and took a step back away from Leon, and walked over to the couch, and sat down, drawing her legs up against her frame. She took a deep breath before continuing on. "Chris was the target. They wanted to wipe out the ranks. Chris had worn a vest, but I didn't. I had just shown up for my shift when the attack ensued. I never had time to put on a vest."

Leon's breath stopped in his chest, along with his heart. He knew what she was getting ready to say. She had been shot in the fight. She had almost lost her life, he could tell by her words, and the inflection that this didn't happen all too long ago. That would explain the pills… Painkillers… Trying to forget what had happened.

"You got hurt didn't you Claire?"

"That was putting it bluntly. Yes I got hurt. Severely hurt. Sherry was here, and the Force tried to shoot her. I knew I didn't have on a vest, but I couldn't let them hurt her. So I threw her to the floor, and took the three bullets to the chest and abdomen for her. One in the right shoulder, one hit my left lung, and the third shattered four of my ribs, and nicked the left side of my heart. Then I took a bullet graze to the arm accidentally. I was scared. Everyone was scared. Chris freaked. He killed them all. Forensics did all the work. Every single one of the death bullets came from Chris's gun. It scared us how protective he got. They reassigned me right after the fight, because of how Chris had reacted. Then he argued with Barry over it, and Barry transferred me back. But I'm okay now. 12 hours in surgery, and a couple of really nice scars, but I'm all good."

She stood and walked towards the door, and turned to face Leon.

"Listen. I know you haven't seen me for a while, but I want to go check on Chris and Jill. I'll let you stay here, and munch, and then I'll come back okay?"

She walked out the door, and flipped the magnetic lock on the door. _Thank God for silent locks. I really hate to put Leon through this, but it has to be done._ She walked away from the lounge, and when she knew he couldn't hear her, she took off running down the hall. Her footfalls were muffled thanks to the still thick carpet on the floors. When she reached the Comm. Room, Chris and the others were there waiting as planned.

"Chris, Leon is in the S.T.A.R.S. Lounge. Something isn't right about all this. Something is missing." Claire grabbed her radio, and clicked in over to Sherry's frequency.

"Honey, are you okay? I haven't woken you up have I?"

"Claire?" Sherry's voice was muffled as if she had in fact been sleeping. "Claire are you there?"

"Yes sweetie. I'm here. I was just beginning something. I'll be there in a few minutes okay? I promise I'll read to you some when I get there."

Claire glanced back at the door that Leon was behind. She knew she had to do this. She looked at her wedding band one last time, and slipped it off her hand, and onto the floor. If Leon left, he couldn't miss it. She started towards the Comm. Room. That was when she heard the sickening crunch of bone, against wall. The sound came from the Lounge. She immediately turned around, and the red flasher above the Lounge door started up, alerting the S.T.A.R.S. that something was wrong. She yanked her radio from its clip.

"Chris! HELP! Have Jill trip the safety lock. I can't get to Leon! There's something in there with him! C'mon everybody!"

She placed the radio back on her belt, and ran to the door, as soon as she got there, the light came on steadily. Jill had released the safety. Claire flipped the mag lock, and drew her Magnum, and gently opened the door. Leon was thrown out of it, just as Claire ducked. Leon hit the wall directly across from her. The T-001, and T-002 bolted through the door after him, and he curled into a ball just as they both struck where his head would have been.

"Leon! Can you move? That was a dumb question to ask… Can you stand?"

"No… They broke my leg… My left one… I can't stand…"

She ran over to him. Just as she got there, the T-002 drove his claw through her left leg. He finished the drive to the wall, and the T-001 decided it was his turn to pound on her. He wailed her body with relentless assaults. She felt her ribs crack, and heard her gun hit the floor. She must have dropped it when the T-001 decided to use her as a punching bag.

God let me get there quick enough… Claire, please… 

Chris was running down the halls as fast as he could. He had heard everything on his way there. Her screams of pain, Leon's inability to help her… Damn it… her couldn't lose her. He heard her scream in pain. Jill and the others were right behind him.

"Jill will she be okay? What do you think it is?"

"Chris, I honestly can't say. She's your sister you guys are a team. You fight together. You stay together."

_I'm dying… I can feel it. I can't do anything. I'm dying, and I don't even get to say goodbye…_

I could hear footsteps running down the hall. Chris was here. I took several deeps breaths. Or at least as deep as I could muster. On the last breath, I opened my eyes, to assess the pain. There was a steady flow of blood from the wound on my leg, and it was pouring in a crimson tide around the T-002's clawed arm. Leon was lying on the floor, trying to crawl to my gun, which seemed to be a good fifty feet from him. The T-002 pulled its arm back, and I sank to the floor. I could at least stand. I hadn't lost that much blood… yet. I pressed against the wall, and stood, putting my weak leg against the wall. I limped to Leon, and knelt next to him.

"It's okay. Just relax. I'm okay… I think. Let me handle this. She took off her over shirt, and tore it into strips. She tied them around the wound on her leg as tight as she could. She felt the flow of blood slow down, and knew she could press on, and survive. It was just a wound. She limped the rest of the way to her gun, and picked it up, just as the heard the retort of a shotgun. Chris was here, and packing. The T-002 fell a few steps backwards, and the shotgun kept firing. _Cli-shunck, Click, Boom. Cli-shunck, Click, Boom. Cli-shunck, Click, Boom._

"Yo sis? You okay? Just stay down! Leon why were they after you? Just fuck it. Answer questions later." He kept firing. Soon he was going to have hit the 10 shot limit. He was already on 6. Then he'd have to reload. That was were Claire, and the others came in.

I grabbed my magnum, and cocked it, and readied my arm for the recoil. _Click, BOOM! Click, BOOM! Click, BOOM! _I fired off as many shots as my brother had.

"I'm fine! Relatively speaking that is. The damn thing drove its claw through my leg, but I think I'll be okay." I continued to fire against the beast that threatened my brother, his wife, and my husband. After Chris pumped nearly 15 shells into it and the T-001, they started to back off. I poured a good 15 rounds into both of them, and Jill just stood back with the already loaded weapons, and First Aid Sprays. Rebecca was there too, and insisted that I stop fighting, and let her treat my wounds. The fighting stopped, and I collapsed in sheer pain.

"Claire, you really should let me treat your wounds. It won't take me that long, I swear."

"Becca… Please. Just treat Leon. Set his leg for him, and then come to me okay? I'll be fine. I swear. I haven't hurt myself yet, not have I?"

"Okay. Fine. Just don't move any. I'm not sure how strong your leg is, now." She left to go treat my husband, and I heard her ask if he wanted any pain killers, or anesthetic. He replied through gritted teeth with gruff no, and I heard the sickening pop of the bone going back into place. She came back to where I was laying, collapsed against the floor. "I gave Leon a cast already. I don't think we want to have to explain to the doctor's the bruising. How ya holding up?"

"Honestly, I could be a hell of a lot better. It wasn't a plan of mine to have to shoot anything today, but that got blown to hell and back. How about yourself? The faster we can patch me up, and let me get back to talking with Leon, the happier I'll be, and the better off all of you are."

She was already cleaning the wound, and beginning to give me shots of anesthetic. I heard her unzip her case, and Leon limped over to where I was laying. He took my hand in his, and laid my head against his shoulder, as all the pain hit me in a steady wave. I was crying, and there as nothing I could do to stop it.

"Shh, love, it will all be okay. I'm here. Let me feel your pain. Release me into the torrent of your world. Let me see what you see. Focus on my voice, and ride the pain like a wave. It will all be okay. I'm never letting you go." He tilted my head back, and kissed me lightly on the lips. I was hungry for more, and kissed him back with a passion to match the storm building inside his heart. I relaxed and fell into our world. The place between reality and fantasy, where everything makes perfect sense. He cradled me in his arms, and let his tongue slide into my mouth. He ran his tongue over my lips, and let his hands glide up my back. He pulled away, and looked into my eyes. " I was so stupid. I never should have taken the second mission. I should have immediately come back here. If I had been here, maybe you wouldn't have been so hurt. If I had been here for you…"

"Leon! Please. It is not your fault. Don't you dare blame yourself for this! You couldn't have known. None of us could have. There is something I need to tell you. Don't say anything. When you left, I found out I was pregnant." My radio beeped. I grabbed it, and flicked it on. "Mommy? Are you there? Aunt Sherry is watching me, and was Uncle Chris, but he left, said that you'd got yourself in twouble." Her daughter's soft angelic like voice filled the air.

"Lily, I'm fine. I just fell down. Didn't I Chris?" I shot my brother a look say thing if he didn't agree to this, he would die.

"She sure did. I swear, your mom is really clumsy. Sherry, can you hear us?"

"Yes Chris. Allie is just fine. She's sleeping. I had to give her, her medication, but now she's fine. It was nothing serious, just a little ceiling dust from the fall that Claire had. Lily let her sleep with her blanket, and teddy bear. I vacuumed them off first. I gave Allie a glass of water too. It's sitting next to her on the table, so if she needs a drink it's there. I also set up the baby monitors you guys still had so that if well… um… I had to use the bathroom, I could still hear her. Oh and Claire, Lily wanted to sleep in the same room as Allie, so I brought in a blanket, and a pillow, and made her a spot on the floor. Is that all?"

"Thank you Sherry. You're a good baby-sitter. Remind me to pay you when I come back down okay?" I just looked at Leon. Chris and Jill said their goodnights and left to go to sleep.

"How old is she?"

"She's 4. Looks just like you. She has your eyes, and hair, but my face. She defiantly has our attitudes though. She does know who you are. I didn't even know I was pregnant until I had missed my fourth period. I thought it was just stress from work, but I was wrong, 6 months later, I had Lily. How about you meet her tomorrow? I'd like to go to sleep, and I don't have to work, so we can spend the whole day together. How's that sound?"

"Claire, I love you with all my heart. Forever, always, and everything inbetween."

* * *

So this is my first ever fan fic, and the first chapter of it. i would greatly like any reviwes, so please be generous. 


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